1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for fastening decorative objects, such as brooches, necklaces, watchbands, and the like, to the person or apparel of a wearer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
History does not record the first instance of the use of decorative and symbolic articles, now commonly referred to as jewelry, which articles have for centuries taken the form of necklaces, bracelets, chains, and pins, badges, or brooches, and the like. In order to releasably fasten such articles to the person or apparel of a wearer, clasps and similar fasteners were devised, the origins of which are not now known. In more recent times, improvements have been made to such fastening apparatus, the provision of safety attachments for preventing accidental opening of the fastening apparatus and the resulting loss of the article of jewelry being a primary objective of many such improvements. As an example, the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 2,613,419 provides a teaching of an improved fastener having structure capable of preventing disengagement of a pin portion thereof from slots formed in a locking member carried on an article of jewelry. This improved fastener of the prior art comprises a locking member having a pair of bayonet slots formed therein, the slots particularly receiving the distal end portion of a safety pin thereinto on rotation of the locking member to lock the safety pin to the locking member. Fabric or other pierceable material forming an article of clothing or the like into which the safety pin can be inserted is thus held between a pivot mount on which one end of the safety pin is mounted and the locking member, the major body portion of the safety pin being held to the clothing fabric. This prior art fastener is further provided with a resilient spring member which acts to force the safety pin against inner surfaces of the bayonet slots, thereby to more securely maintain the safety pin in engagement with said bayonet slots. The present invention further improves the fastener art and particularly structures of the kind exemplified by the fasteners of the aforesaid patent. In particular, the several embodiments of the present fastening apparatus are provided with housing structures which enclose locking members similar to the locking member of the aforesaid patent, the locking members receiving a portion of a safety pin or spring within bayonet slots formed therein and being rotatable from externally of the housing structures to lock the safety pin or spring therewithin. The housing structures of the present invention provide additional security to the fastening apparatus and particularly act to prevent accidental fouling of projecting and receiving portions of the apparatus with fabric or other extraneous objects.